Shadows Of The Dark Flames:Master & Servant
by Chaos Hero Mark
Summary: Kyo & Iori disappeared after the final battle with Orochi. Despite her desire to find another means to combat new foes, desiring Orochi's power, Chizuru's forbidden act sets a chain of events in motion that'll change her life. Chizuru X Kusanagi
1. Prologue: The Orochi Aftermath

**Disclaimer: **SNK/Playmore owns King Of Fighters. I only own this fanfic.

**Trivia:**

Imperial Regalia of Japan or known as Three Sacred Treasures of Japan consists mainly of Kusanagi no Tsurugi, Yasakani no Magatama & Yata no Kagami.

Kusanagi no Tsurugi/Kusanagi Sword - It was originally called Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi (Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven) but later changed to the more popular Kusanagi no Tsurugi(Grass Cutting Sword) The Kusanagi Sword is imporant to Japan's history, like Excalibur is to Britain.

Yasakani no Magatama - Stands for Benevolence, and is one of the three items used in the ceremony of imperial ascension. It is believed to be a necklace composed of jade magatama stones instead of a solitary gem as depicted in popular culture.

Yata no Kagami - Represents wisdom or honesty. Its name literally means The Eight Hand Mirror.

Yamata no Orochi - Is an interpretation of the mythical eight headed serpent.

**Authors Notes:** Your more than welcome to correct me if I've missed anything concerning the Japanese mythology. My first King Of Fighters fic, so feel free to Read & Review

* * *

**Shadows Of The Dark Flame**

**First Arch: Master & Servant**

By Chaos Hero Mark

Prologue: The Orochi Aftermath

Burning flames, bright lights and ruined grounds. These were among the conclusion of the fight. We were among the last of our clan. I had my moment of fear, but that fear had to be done away with. Yagami held him in place using the Yasakani no Magatama, Kusanagi weakened him using the Kusanagi no Tsurugi and I sealed him with the Yata no Kagami. The invincible entity known as Yamata No Orochi. Many of us that were there wore ourselves out trying to defeat him. Mankind was safe for the time being. With my connections and help from my friends, that dark event remained hidden from the media and public eye. Only those that were there, knew. For me, I could finally live a normal life at last.

For a few months, things were the usual. A light breakfast by myself, then feeding my sparrow, Chee-Chan, before I head for work. As CEO of Kagura Enterprises, I found myself very busy from time to time. Whenever I had free time, I would either take part in motorcycle racing or sleep the days away. Sometimes, Mai would keep contact with me. As obssessed with Andy as ever. From time to time, I would check upon the Orochi seal which I left to a friend of mine. His daughter looked up to me like a mother and I was quite taken in with her. The nightmares from my past have become very rare, but its hard to believe that he's finally gone... my sister's killer. Now Maki can rest at last. In my mansion, I had a new nightmre. One that shook me to the very core of my soul. In my dream, the last of the Kusanagi and Yagami clans were killed. The age-old curse of the Orochi, finally took Iori's life. Kyo, alone fell before a foe, one that remained concealed in shadows. A different dream showed me that one with emerald flames will slay him. Two different dreams, but the same thing: Kyo and Iori may fall in the future. Despite the graphic nature of this dream, I dissmissed it as that: A dream. For many more nights, I kept having these nightmares. Eventually, I took time off work to reflect upon this. I had an idea being put together, but what I'm doing, went against clan's teachings. We were not to use the power of the Yata Mirror in breaking a sacred taboo or for personal agendas.

But an alternative solution had to be found. I've recently learned that Kyo went missing for months and no one's heard from him or Yagami, for that matter. I've never done this before, but I've only heard that we, the Yata Clan, are forbidden from performing this ritual: The creation of a man's shadow. If things got too dangerous, I was to slay...it without hesitation. Inside the dojo, jointly built within my mansion, I began to place incense and drew ritual markings upon the floor. Once I had everything in place, I sought to make sure everything went according to plan. The evening night was quiet and I rarely had visitors here anyway, so my ritual would proceed uninterrupted. With the necessary symbols drawn on the ground and my priestess attire, I chanted the words, calling upon the mirrors power. When it was ready, I called out the name "Kyo Kusanagi" and the mirror reflected the proper image. But little did I know that something would go wrong. The room itself turned dark for but a moment. When that darkness lifted, I saw the lifeless body of Kyo Kusanagi himself, face down, lying on his stomach. His fingers started twitching, I felt that the first part of the experiment had worked. But when he lifted himself and sat upon his knees, I knew then that something had gone wrong. Horribly wrong.

* * *

**Trivia:**

**Kusanagi - **Kusanagi has about 2 or 3 different backstories & no official canon plot (yet). One says he's a clone created by NESTS, but the KOF 2003 game shows him as a creation of Chizuru, under Botan's control. He lives only to fight strong opponents.

**Chizuru Kagura - **Chizuru is the younger twin sister of Maki and one of the keepers of the Orochi seal. She is normally serious, but started to lighten up thanks to her friends.


	2. Chapter I: Creation

**Author's Notes:** I forgot to mention, the first arch's in Chizuru's Point Of View. In case I didn't mentioned it, Kusanagi has about 2 or 3 different back stories & no official canon plot (yet). One says he's a clone created by NESTS, but the KOF 2003 game shows him as a creation of Chizuru, under Botan's control. As you can see, I'm going with the 2003 version & I'm taking a lot of liberties with the game's story.

* * *

**Shadows Of The Dark Flame**

**First Arch: Master & Servant**

By Chaos Hero Mark

Chapter I: Creation

I took note of every detail around him. He looked exactly like Kyo, but there were subtle differences. This one's skin was somewhat darker than the real thing. And his eyes...its like there's no life in him at all. A moment later, I saw he was naked and went to fetch some clothing to cover him. As I returned and handed him the clothes, I asked for his name. He clutched his head as if trying to remember. I asked him again with a tone as cold as ice. "What is your name?"

"I...I don't...know."

Even his voice sounded different. I decided to name him and be as straight forward with him as possible. "Until you know who you are, I shall call you Kusanagi. Get dressed. I have much to tell you." I waited silently as he dressed himself. I would have to lie to him and not associate him with the real Kyo, but rather give him an identity he can call his own.

He finished up and asked me. "Where am I?"

"We're in the isolated region of South Town, in my home."

"....who are you?"

"I am your master, Chizuru Kagura."

He stared at me like a confused child. This must've been a side effect by the mirrors power. I wondered if he had Kyo's fighting potential, at the very least. Either way, he had to be tested.

"Stand and fight me." I commanded. He stood to his feet, but that was all he did. He was hesitant to attack me, so I guess I'll have to provoke him. I used the '212th Revival: Quick Shinto Prayer ~ Heavenly Congratulations'. If that didn't anger him to fight, then I'll have to use a harder method. It didn't take long before Kusanagi was on his feet. He was surprised that I was still standing in the same spot. My mirror techniques easily fooled him, this was no surprise. He clutched his stomach, staring at me. Feelings of hatred and a raging desire, burned deep within him.

"What the Hell was that for, wench?!"

I felt these feelings suppressed within his flesh and soul. His eyes came to life, as if fighting demon raged inside him. Then, I saw waves of heat emanating from his body. I took my stance and stared at him with no shred of emotion. If things went beyond my control, I would kill him...or it and never linger on this again. He used one of Kyo's older techniques, the '108 Style: Darkness Sweep', unleashing his flame towards me with no shred of mercy. I normally wouldn't do something this dangerous, but with the proper timing, sending one's own projectile back would hurt the original sender without me having to put in any effort. As if the sun was literally heading towards me, I felt the heat of those flames as I only had one chance to do this right. This was one of those moments where my timing was flawless. I used the '108th Revival: Jewel-Like Sound Of The Large Koto' and deflected his Darkness Sweep. The flames returned to its wielder and punished him. His body flew back, crashing through the sliding doors of the dojo and fell on the grass.

I kept my distance as he stood to his feet. His clothing was covered in burn marks. He could mimic one technique perfectly, so that was good enough for now.

"You may cease and desist! I'm satisfied with your results!" I commanded. That was all for today...is what I would've said.

But like a sleeping beast forced out of his slumber, my creation barked at me. "You Bitch! You'll pay for that!" He dashed at me ready to attack. By the sound of his running feet, I assumed he was using his '212 Style: Koto Moon Positive'. When he got close, I dodged him, much to his surprise and countered with one of my best moves, the 'Alternative 1st Revival: Battle Array Of The Three Rattling Winds'. My double attacked him, before he could see what was happening. As expected, he went down easily. His desire to fight remained, but even that couldn't compensate for a broken body.

Like a dog, he glared at me in silence as he fell to his knees. This one was far weaker than the original, hopefully making it easier to control. "Had enough?!" There was no sympathy in my tone. He needs to learn who's the boss of him. "If you cannot control your temper, or rebel even once against me, I will kill you and make sure you never exist. Do you understand?" He glared at me with a menacing look. He's more rebellious than his original, that's for sure. "Did you not hear me?!" I raised my voice, to the point of threatening him. He nodded silently. The bruises were taking its toll on him. I might have gone overboard with my attack. No. He must learn to submit. "From here on, you shall address me as Master Kagura. After I've tended to your wounds, I want you to fix the doors." I glanced more carefully at him and saw how much damage my attack did to him. His body gave way and collapsed.

It took a while, but I finally got him to a spare room of mine, near the dojo. I didn't wish to put him in the guest room, lest he burns my house down in a fit. While I tended to his bruises, I thought it best to some extent, suppress his powers. Once that was done, I resumed to patch him up. Gods, I really overdid it with my attack. Thankfully, it made him too fatigue to do anything. He eventually fell asleep and so did I.

It was 10am in the morning, when I woke up. I can't believe I'll be late. I was suppose to meet the girls at the amusement park. King even said she was bringing her little brother along. I looked over his sleeping body and assumed he wouldn't be awake for some time. I quickly got changed into a pair of tight, black pants and a white shirt, got my handbag and did my make up. I took my bike out of the garage so that the noise wouldn't reach his ears. Once I started it up, I got on and left.

- I -

"Hey Chizuru! You okay?"

"Yes, Jan." I replied as if everything's fine. I was seated in a restaurant, inside the amusement park. King and Mai were most likely looking for us.

"Oh, here. This is for you." I saw him carrying two cotton candies of which he handed one to me.

"Thank you." I accepted it as a waiter came to us.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. Are you ready to order?"

"Not yet." I answered. "We're still waiting for our friends. But could you please turn up the volume." I pointed to the T.V. Right now, they were showcasing some of the past King Of Fighters events.

"Of course." The waiter complied and soon, I could hear what the reporter was saying. As I nibbled on the fluffy candy Jan gave me, they were showing various clips of past fight scenes. They even said something about the American Sports Team, joining the N.B.A. The reporter then said something that caught my interest.

"...and following the King Of Fighters 97 tourney, strange events had occurred recently. High School student and current King Of Fighters champion, Kyo Kusanagi, has been missing for four months. His friends, girlfriend, and family of this popular fighter are searching for him and have alerted the authorities to aid them. Strangely, at the same time, Iori Yagami, the famous lead singer of the popular rock band, Moonlight Flame, is said to have disappeared at the same time. The band was scheduled to have a concert in Spain. But with their lead singer missing, this has dealt a heavy blow to the other members and their manager. They have certainly much to worry about. On the bright side, J-pop singer, Athena Asamiya, will be having a three day tour in Spain, so all is not lost for the K.O.F. and Athena fanbase."

At that moment, I heard King's voice. "Jan. Are you trying to sweet talk Chizuru?"

I noticed Jan's face turning red as he stuttered. "W-what g-gave you that idea sis?"

"Oh, Jan. And here I thought you liked me." Mai teased him, playfully. My attention however, remain fixed on the reporter.

"Hey Chizuru. You okay?"

My answer for King was. "Hold on, I need to hear this." At the same time, the entire restaurant became quiet.

"There's also been rumors that this year's King Of Fighters 98 tournament will be canceled. Many speculate it due to the strange activity that took place last year. All six sponsorship members of the K.O.F. have yet to pass the final judgment. For the time being, the head of the sponsorships, Miles Geoffrey, is unable to speak with South Town Media. There's no doubt that fans, will not be pleased at this turn of events. In other news, the trial of Mr. Big has concluded in what the law-abiding citizens call "a travesty to justice." He has been cleared of all charges relating to his involvement in the drug empire and the crime syndicate. The court house claims he's a free man, but police have speculated that there is a huge possibility of corruption within the court room hierarchy. Unfortunately, we could not reach detective Hon-Fu for any comment. And now, on to the weather."

When I turned my attention to the girls and Jan, I saw King's face turned serious for a moment. "Looks like some of the court system is bending over for Big, like a bunch'a dogs."

Mai saw how upset King's brother was and changed the subject. "Hey Jan. There's a ride I wanna try out, but I need a partner. Whad'ya say?"

Jan looked a his sister who saw what Mai was trying to do. She didn't want that unpleasant moment to ruin his day. "Go on. Chizuru and I need a break, and we have ta order soon, so..."

"Sure thing." Jan's smile came back as he went with Mai. Once they were gone, King's expression became serious.

"It's still haunts you, doesn't it?" I did my best to ease her troubles. She said nothing, but there was no need for words. Mai told me about the time Mr. Big had Jan kidnapped, forcing King to work for him as a lackey. This Big person has no conscience at all, it must've been hard for her. "If you and Jan run into trouble, don't hesitate to approach me. I'd be more than happy to help you."

"Thanks, but don't you need a hand yourself?" She flashed a smile.

"Oh?"

"Your one of those sponsors, right? You sure you'll be okay in there? I mean, if it was a fight, me and Mai got your back. But business and politics ain't our forte."

"Thanks, but you and Mai wouldn't be much help in that field anyway."

The way I sarcastically spoke it, brought a chuckle out of her. Today may be my last moment of freedom. From here on, I was going to have my work cut out for me.

* * *

**Trivia:**

**Jan – ** King's younger brother, who is very outgoing and often hitting on his sister's friends.

**Kyo Kusanagi – **One of the main characters of the K.O.F. series and the main hero of the Orochi Saga (K.O.F. 94-97). A member of the Kusanagi clan

**Iori Yagami – **Kyo's nemesis and the last member of the Yagami clan. Iori is cursed with the Riot of the Blood as a result of the pact his clan made with Orochi.

**King – **Former hench(wo)man of , who now runs the La Illusion bar.

**Mai – ** A skimpy kunoichi(female ninja) who is in love with Andy. One of the main female characters of the Fatal Fury & K.O.F. series.

**Mr. Big – **Former kingpin of South Town, who was dethroned by Geese Howard.

**Hon-Fu – **A Hong-Kong detective who is always chasing after criminals. He is usually goofy, but serious when it comes to his job.

**Trivia II:**

212th Revival: Quick Shinto Prayer ~ Heavenly Congratulations - Ni Hyaku Juu Ni Katsu: Shinsoku no Norito ~ Tenzui

Chizuru dashes forward to attack her opponent, slamming them to the ground & following up with an extra hit.

108th Revival: Jewel-Like Sound Of The Large Koto - Hyaku Hachi Katsu: Tamayura no Shitsune

A move where Chizuru can deflect most projectiles coming her way. The other version of this move has her spinning around first before slapping her hand forward.

Alternative 1st Revival: Battle Array Of The Three Rattling Winds - Rimen Ichi Katsu: Sanrai no Fujin

Chizuru's desperation/overdrive move. She sends out an illusion of herself to attack her opponents.

108 Style: Darkness Sweep - Hyaku Hachi Shiki: Yami Barai

Kyo's projectile move from 94/95/98/Maximum Impact 2, Kyo-1 99/2002 UM & Kusanagi 2002/2002 UM/2003/Neowave. Saisyu & Iori also has this move.

212 Style: Koto Moon Positive - Ni Hyaku Juu Ni Shiki: Kototsuki You

A technique where Kyo runs in for the opponent, hits them with an elbow to the gut, follows up with a one-hand chokehold and causes them to explode.

Kyo 95/96/97/98, Kyo-2 99/2002 UM & Kusanagi 2002/2002 UM/2003/Neowave.

**Authors Notes:** Apologies for the very long wait. I did my best to give this as much quality as I could.


	3. Chapter II: Servant

**Shadows Of The Dark Flame**

**First Arch: Master & Servant**

By Chaos Hero Mark

Chapter II: Servant

As I finally got home, I received an incoming call on my cell. It was the head of the K.O.F. sponsorship, Miles Geoffrey.

"Chizuru Kagura speaking."

"Chizuru. It's Miles. I take it you heard the news."

"Just recently."

"Good. I need to meet with all the sponsors in the next week. Can you-"

"Yes. I'll be there. I'll be returning to work only after that."

"Good. I'll see you next week, then."

Once that was over, I placed my bike in the garage and made my way inside. I was not sure of what to expect, but I had to keep my guard in case he tried something. I made my way to the dojo where I left him. He was still trying to fix the door, but I could see how poor his inexperienced attempts were. I looked around to see if anything has been damaged.

"Have you ever done this before?" I asked him as he laid the tape to rest and turned to me. He remained silent and averted his eyes from my gaze. "I'll take that as a no."

He finally answered me, by saying. "Is there something you need?"

This was a surprise. "Already eaten?" I asked him. Since I came back, I was surprised he didn't trash my place. In fact, I wonder if he was spending most of his time in this room. "Cause it looks like you never left this room the entire day. And I recall only asking you to fix that door, after your wounds have fully healed. Come with me."

I went into the kitchen and took out a skillet. It took me a while to find the egg lifter. As I turned to get the eggs, I saw him standing near the kitchen's entrance. I couldn't help, but get the feeling that he was staring at me. I couldn't tell if he was either, mesmerized by my beauty or harbored a grudge against me for last night. "Take a seat. This will take a few minutes." After fixing him some scrambled eggs, I took a seat and watched him eat in silence. At that moment, I realized that I forgot to feed Chee-Chan.

I saw him stopped eating when he saw the look on face and said. "I didn't know what to feed her, so it took me a while to find the proper food." I went to the living room and made sure he didn't kill her. To my relief, Chee-Chan was well and active as always. I returned to the kitchen, keeping my eyes on him. What happened to that rage I saw yesterday? There's no way he would submit so easily. I was about to speak when he asked with a small hint of malice in his tone.

"Why did you attack me?"

"I needed to test you. Nothing more." I lied. Unfortunately, he saw right through it.

"Your not being completely honest."

"It's best you know little for the time being. I have much to teach you, so I hope you're a fast learner."

He continued to eat in silence. When he saw my eyes staring at how fast he ate, Kusanagi slowed down and continued. Once he was done, I wanted to take his empty plate, but Kusanagi rose from his seat and took it himself and placed it in the sink. He didn't bother to clean his own dishes or even mutter a thank you. I let out a sigh and asked him. "Are you still angry at me?"

"Hmph." Was all he grunted. I rose from my seat as well, having him narrow his eyes at me and just left. I followed him back to the same spot where we first fought and saw him take his stance.

"What is the meaning of this?!" I asked. But my words fell on deaf ears as he attempted his Darkness Sweep. The shock look on his face showed as nothing happened.

"What the Hell did you do to me?!" He snarled.

"This would go a lot easier if you'd submit to me."

My choice of words only angered him further as spat. "Fuck you!!" He dashed at me and attempted throwing a punch. I dodged him very easily and stood on the other side. I saw for a moment that his breathing was heavy. He turned and dashed at me again. I was about counter, when I saw his body gave way as he fell to his knees, coughing. I became wary of him, thinking he might use this trick to have me lower my guard. Then I saw him coughing out blood and became even more worried as he clutched his chest. I went to his side to try and help him. "Take it easy. Let me help you."

I held out my hand, but he slapped it away. "Don't...need your help! Now...fight me!"

"No."

"What?!" He barked with venom in his voice as he tried to stand by himself.

"My attack has done more damage to you than I thought. It's a miracle your still standing. In your state, you've already lost." At that point, he gave me a sinister laugh and assumed his fighting stance. For a moment, I couldn't help but wonder if his laugh was empty, his smile hollow and his eyes carrying no life in it. I tried to reason, knowing that I could kill him. "Death is an experience I'd rather you not go through yet. I don't wish to kill you. You have too much to live for and a purpose calling you."

"Is my purpose being your slave?! Your dog?!" He spat. "I serve and answer to no one!!"

"A slave? No." I answered, hoping to get through to him. "A servant? Yes."

"It's all the same to me, you fucking bitch! Lets end this!"

"It's not." I shot back, slightly annoyed by his attitude. "If your a slave, I would have every right to dispose of you like used goods, regardless if I'm right or wrong. A servant is someone who answers to his master and follows him. In return, the master rewards the servant based on his deeds and character." Once that was said, Kusanagi became silent, though I heard a grunt coming from him. "As it is, your the one who challenged me to a fight, knowing that you'll lose. Let your wounds heal first, then decide from there if you want to be the disposable slave or the exalted servant." I managed to keep my cool as he dropped his guard. I had him lean on me as we head back inside. This time, he didn't refuse my hand as I offered it.

- I -

Two days after that incident, I was busy with my work documents on my laptop. Between preparing for work and teaching Kusanagi the ways of servitude, it was a slow and tiring process. I know that he hated it, but I also knew that it would help him cope with the outside world. I kept my eye on him now and then, but mostly left him to his work around the household. Once I was done for the day, I shut my laptop and checked on him. In the dojo, I saw him half-naked, practicing his kenpo on the wooden puppet I had put away. All he wore was a three-quarter gray shorts out in the sunlight. His muscles hardening itself as his torso was endowed in sweat. From where I was standing, I actually found him attractive. I then noticed he was done mopping the floors, and quite fast at that.

"You're hard working, as always." I got no response from him. He clearly hated working for me. To get him talking, I asked him a different question. "Your martial arts training. Where did you learn it?"

He stopped his practice and turned to me. I saw how somewhat confused he was at the question. "Don't know. I guess you did."

"If I did, I would've told you." I corrected him. "Our fighting styles are very different."

He grunted in resignation. Then I just know it, I guess." Even with his powers suppressed, I knew it wouldn't be long before he desired to know the origins of his fighting style. I had to come up with something and fast. "Is there something you need?"

"No. I just came to see how your holding up."

"I'm fine." He muttered and went back to his training. I knew he was lying since I could see him clutching his lower abdomen now and again, but I decided not to bring it up. I then sought to ask him a question, knowing that he didn't find his answer to it yet.

"Kusanagi, why do you fight?" He stopped his Kenpo training at that moment. I waited patiently for him to speak. He remained silent, not willing to answer that. "You needn't answer now. You can tell me when you've found your answer." For a moment, he remained quiet. Perhaps my rough approach helped created some enmity between us. Something I can't afford to have in the future. "When your done, I'd like you to put the dummy back where you found it and fix the door. Later on, I shall teach you how to cook."

"Yes, Master Kagura." He answered in an icy tone, avoiding my gaze.

I became troubled of the hostility building between us. "I hope we can put our differences aside work together."

"I barely even know you." He murmured and went back to his training. I left him to himself, thinking I had much work ahead of me.

Another three days had passed as I continued to teach and monitor Kusanagi. By then, the hostility between us went down slowly. I was very tired and decided to take a bath. My bathing spot was a wooden area, with fine stones built as the bathing spot. There were small shrubs and grass here and there, along with the option of turning it into a steam room. With a set of clothes put aside, I shed my towel, covering my nakedness and submerged most of my body into the water. For a while, it felt good relaxing myself. Then, I slowly began to doze off and eventually fell asleep. I had to be careful, lest I forget my mission. That dream of the green flame still haunted me. I couldn't even see who the bearer was, nor who our new enemies were. If the worst comes to pass, Kyo would die. If that happens, at least Kusanagi would make the perfect substitute. As for Iori Yagami, he would be another task. I opened my eyes narrowly and saw someone was inside with me. As my vision got wider and clearer, I saw Kusanagi staring at me, wearing a white sweater along with his black pants. I fought the urge to panic, submerged my body back in the water and with one arm, covered my breasts.

"You're not suppose to be here!!" I screamed. He was seated with one arm resting on his bended leg.

"Here." He handed me my towel, which I grabbed without hesitation and covered myself. I was about to verbally chastise him, when he said. "A Reiji Oogami is here to see you. What should I tell him?"

"Tell him I'm on my way!" I snapped at him. "Now, leave!" He stood to his feet, mesmerized by my beauty. I couldn't help, but blush a little. I felt nearly afraid that he would attempt to violate me right then and there.

"You should lock the door next time." He murmured and left. I breathed a sigh of relief, quickly drying myself and got dressed. Making my way downstairs, I began to fear the worst. If Reiji learns of Kusanagi, it would be disastrous for us all. I made my way to the living room and pushed a few buttons on the lock pad, near the door. Outside, he was waiting for me with his daughter in tow as the gate opened. They made it to the door as I opened it for them.

"I would've been here three days ago, but some affairs kept me back." He smiled as they both stepped in. He looked at his daughter and motioned to her. "Mina, say hi to aunt Chizuru."

"Hello." She gave a formal bow. I found Reiji's daughter to be quite adorable.

"Why, hello Mina. How are you today?"

"Fine, aunt Chizuru." She smiled.

I turned to Reiji and said. "Make yourselves comfortable." I showed them to the dining room, doing my best to mask my fears. Reiji and took a seat as I spoke. "I'll have some tea made for you."

"Thanks."

I went inside and found Kusanagi already preparing a tray with two cups of tea. "What are you doing here?" I whispered behind gritting teeth. "And fix your hair. You look terrible." He ignored me, went to the fridge and took out a small juice. I assumed it was for Mina. I tried to stop him as he went inside, but it was too late. Reiji and his daughter had already seen him.

"Hey there, friend. You look like you had a bad hair day." Kusanagi let out a grunt of displeasure. Serves him right for leaving his hair in a mess. "Name's Reiji." He held out his hand. By the attitude Kusanagi gave him, I had to come up with something and fast. I just pray this doesn't blow up in my face.

"I'm sorry, Reiji. I forgot to introduce you to my house servant. This is Syo Kirishima." I motioned towards Kusanagi, who was beginning to scare Mina. "Syo, I'd like a word with you, now." Kusanagi placed the tray on the table and left without another word. I motioned for Reiji and his little girl to wait, while I dealt with this. Thank God he didn't recognize him. I followed Kusanagi to the dojo. Once we were out of earshot, I confronted him.

"It seems to me that you have problems listening to anyone! Next time you-" Was all I managed to say, when he grabbed my shoulders and slammed me against the wall. His dark look began to surface as he snarled at me.

"What the Hell did you do to me?! Where are my flames?!" He now knows that I tampered with his powers. I found myself afraid of him for the first time and fought the urge to panic. I felt tempted to fight him as I could feel his face drawing closer to mine. His breath rubbing against my neck, whispering. "I didn't realize how beautiful you are."

I did my best to keep my voice from its panicked state. "If you so much as touch me-"

"I won't." He murmured. "I'll do your bidding for the time being. But don't think for a second that I'm your mindless slave. If you piss me off again like that time, I'll incinerate you without a second thought." He released his hands from my shoulders and stepped away from me slowly, while keeping that dark look. "I'll be practicing my kenpo, lest you need something from me." As I saw him went to get the practice dummy, I did my best to get myself together. I thought it be best to keep up the act for a bit, while the Oogami's were still around. As I returned to them, Reiji was slightly worried.

"Chizuru, are you okay?"

"Yes." I answered. "Syo is practicing his Kenpo to let off some steam. He has to learn to treat people better."

"I didn't know he has martial art experience. Anyway, I hope there's no bad blood between the two of you." He murmured and took a sip of his tea.

"Let's hope not." My tone signaled the end of this topic. I saw Mina listening to some music on her large headphones and sipping on some orange juice. I began to take my cup of tea as Reiji began to speak.

"I got your message, concerning an urgent request."

"Yes." I began. "I take it you've heard about Kyo Kusanagi's disappearance after this year's tournament."

"The current King Of Fighters champion? Yeah. It's actually all over the news." Reiji's expression then became very grim. "What happened out there? Better yet, why wasn't I inform that you ended up in the hospital?"

I knew that Reiji and those of our clan left were worried for me. But they left in the dark of what truly happened. I took a deep breath and said. "Firstly, thank you for you concern Reiji. You probably heard about the large damage mound left in the upper parts of South Town."

"Yeah. What about it?"

"The Orochi was awakened." The second those words left my lips, a shocked look overcame Reiji. Out of what's left of the Yata clan, Reiji Oogami is the only one who has nearly all the advanced skills as myself, even though he uses ancient martial arts. He only lacked the ability to dream the possible future and sense dangers. "Do not fear." I attempted to set his mind at ease after taking a sip of my tea. "My injuries were bad, but they were nowhere near what Kusanagi and Yagami had to bear. In fact, I made sure what really happened never landed in the hands of the media. They're known to poke their noses where it's not needed."

"You managed to re-seal him with the help of the other clans. Now one of them goes missing..."

"Both actually." I corrected him. "Yagami's missing as well, which is why I called you here."

"You want me to look for them?"

My expression became grim. "I'd ask someone else, but you're the only one I can trust right now. Your fighting prowess is second to mine and my injuries haven't fully recovered yet, which is why I believe you can handle this."

He turned to his daughter for a moment, who was still listening to her music and drinking her orange juice. He then turned to me and asked. "What should I do afterward, assuming I find them?"

"If they are being pursued, contact me and have them go into hiding for the time being. I have a bad feeling that someone is after them. I also ran across an enigma group during the K.O.F. 97. I thought they were part of the technicians and such. But I couldn't shake off this nagging feeling that there was something shady about that group."

Reiji thought for a moment, while finishing his tea and then asked. "Were they lackeys of Geese Howard's or Mr. Big's?"

"I wish I was wrong, but I don't think they worked for either men."

"What if it's as you say and they were kidnapped for whatever purpose?"

I finished my tea as well and we both placed our cups back in the tray. "Then find out who and get out of there. After that, contact me and I'll take care of the rest." He gave a worried look, as if I'm diving into danger myself. "Don't worry Reiji. I have some powerful friends who can help. Being one of the most powerful enterprises has many benefits. I already have people searching, but I want you to go where they can't. If it's a powerful group behind this, don't try to fight them. One can't hold the fort against an army, regardless of the individual's prowess."

He flashed a smirk and said. "Thanks for the pep talk."

"Your welcome." I returned his smile with one of my own. "Contact Geoffrey Miles. The sponsors are covering this secret operation, so you needn't worry about finance."

"Hey, that reminds me. When is your conference with the big boys?"

I let out a sigh and before I could say anything, my cell received a message from Mr. Miles himself. The message read. 'Conference 08:00am 3 days.' I turned to Reiji and said. "In three days."

"You don't look too happy about it." He muttered with some concern.

"The K.O.F. 98 tournament got canceled. Miles better have one hell of an explanation for this, because my friends weren't too pleased either. Me and the other sponsors even had money poured into that event." I quit my nagging and gave Reiji a pocket cellphone. "Here. There's a number for myself and Mr. Miles. It's encoded in a way so that it's heavily protected from hackers." I looked at Mina and asked. "What about her?"

"She'll stay with her mother and the other members."

"Be careful out there."

"You be careful too, Chizuru." He took the phone and motioned to his daughter that it was time to leave. I saw them out and waved goodbye to Mina. Once they were gone, I went to see what Kusanagi was doing.

- II -

I got to the dojo, only to find the dummy on fire. Kusanagi was on his knees, clutching his hand. I neglected to tell him that every time he forces his suppressed powers to surface, I would cause him internal injuries. I took out the fire extinguisher, placed at the wall, near the door and doused the burning dummy. It wasn't long before he snapped at me.

"You did something to me!"

"Yes." I began. "I suppressed your powers. From the moment I made you, I knew your violent attitude would cloud your reasoning. It's time we put an end to this nonsense!"

"What do you want from me?" He murmured softly.

"Serving me is not as bad as you think. You may not believe this, but I need your help with what's coming. I need to know if I can trust you! I need to know that you won't rebel and go insane!"

"I hardly know you!" He snapped at me, as he stood to his feet. "Why the Hell should I trust you, much less bow to you?!"

"You can't know someone in just five days. It takes time, but that's not the point! As for trust, that's your choice, but know this. I never intended to create you with a dark nature, but I can't help you change if you continue like this! Submit or rebel! It's time for you to decide right now and for good!" The harsh tone in my voice indicated that I've reached my limit with him. I had a feeling that something was going to happen and I only wished I had more time with him. Should he choose the latter, I would be left with no alternative but to kill him and conclude this task a failure. For some time, he didn't say a word. His expression ranged from confused to distrust. Maybe I was getting a bit desperate resorting to blackmail and threats. But I didn't want to show that and I needed any leverage I could get over him. Eventually, he shut his eyes in resignation and bent his knee in submission.

"Fine." Came his first words, after some time. "You win." I stared at him for a while and concluded that he finally submitted and was ready for the next step. I told him to wait here and left to get my medical kit. I came back, took his hand and performed acupuncture on his throbbing hand.

He felt its stinging effect, but I told him. "Grin and bear it." He silently bore it and soon, I eventually removed the needles, indicating that it was done. He rubbed his hand and felt no pain, whatsoever.

"Interesting. Where did you learn this?" He asked.

For a moment, I hesitated to speak. His question struck a cord with me as I whispered. "Maki taught me." I stood from the floor, packed up the kit and left him at the dojo. I didn't want him to ask me who Maki was. I didn't want him to see my pain. A mere servant like Kusanagi, created out of the mirrors magic, could never understand the emotions I held. Hatred is his only strength and he would only see anything else as weak.

* * *

**Trivia:**

**Reiji Oogami – **This guy is only in KOF EX2: Howling Blood. He is one of the ten sacred treasures and a member of the Yata clan. A representative of Chizuru sent to find Kyo and help him investigate the interference with the Orochi seal.

**Mina Oogami – **Reiji's daughter. Yes, I made her name up, since they never mentioned her name at all.

**Geese Howard – **Fatal Fury's main villain and crime lord of south town. In Art Of Fighting, he leads a double life between being a police commissioner and a criminal kingpin. Krauser's half-brother & the killer of Terry's father, Jeff Bogard.

**Syo Kirishima - ** Syo Kirishima is the early design or prototype of Kyo Kusanagi. He is Kyo's substitute striker.

**Maki Kagura – **The older/twin sister of Chizuru, who is now deceased. Not much is known about here, except that she worried for her family & the fate of her clan. She was killed by Goenitz about ten years before the K.O.F. 96.

**Authors Notes: **A thousand apologies for this...very...late update. Despite the KOF fandom moving as slow as a snail, I wouldn't mind some reviews on this. Normally I wouldn't ask, but this is my first time doing a character's point of view. So I wanna know if there's anything I can improve on.


End file.
